Furniture such as chairs, tables and lounges, are commonly placed outside in gardens and recreational areas in all parts of the country. The furniture is exposed to all kinds of weather—rain, snow, bleaching sun,—for long periods of time, even in periods of time when the furniture is not in use. Such periods include winter, stormy weather, night-time etc. During these periods of non-use, the typical home owner typically covers his furniture with covers which are made specifically to cover furniture. The traditional approach to eliminating collection pockets is to provide form fitting covers intended to shield the furniture from weather elements and debris.
A particular problem presented to home owners is that design and shape of the furniture draped with a cover forms pockets that become collectors of water and debris (particularly leaves). The collection of water and debris grows and becomes particularly objectionable over long periods of time such as during the winter, or when the owner is absent on a vacation trip. The job of removing a cover holding heavy large pockets of watery debris becomes overwhelming and difficult as the size and weight of the collection of debris increases.
The traditional approach to eliminate collection pockets has been to provide form fitting covers intended to shield the furniture from weather elements and debris. This solution has not been satisfactory from the standpoint that furniture comes in a range of sizes, etc., and no one size of cover fits all sizes and designs of furniture. Additionally, the form-fitted cover approach does not prevent collection cavities to occur even when the covers are closely form fitted.
Numerous disclosures have appeared in the patent literature related to the design of covers intended to overcome the debris collection problem for outdoor furniture.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0117001 discloses a weatherproof covering of flexible material fitted for a variety of furniture designs. A flexible harness of strap members is secured permanently by sewing or removably by velcro to the flexible material. A bar with hook ends is attachable to an edge of the material that performs as a weight intended to maintain the material in its position.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2004/0016484 discloses a cover having a UV resistant outer layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,055 discloses a cover to which flexible straps are sewn. The flexibility of the straps and design of the cover permits that the cover may be used to cover furniture having any one of a number of designs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,866 discloses a cover for an umbrella table wherein the umbrella pole extends through an opening in the center of the cover. The cover is releasably secured to the pole.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,530 discloses a cover for an umbrella table in which the umbrella extends through the cover draped over the table. Inclined drain channels are formed by the cover draped over the table with the umbrella pole extending through the center of the table and cover and supporting the cover in an inclined position to facilitate drainage over the edges of the covered table. None of the disclosures have adequately resolved the problem of eliminating the formation of debris laden pools of water from outdoor furniture.